Coupling mechanism



E. P. KINNE. COUPLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 6, I919.

1,356,209. Patented Oct. 19,1920.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. P. KINNE.

COUPLING MECHANISM. APl LlCATlON FILED SEPT-6,1919.

1,356,209. Patented Oct. 19,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[If/Wages 1 jzorizor W l dmandPfLZ/Zw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMITND I. KINNE, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COUPLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 0 1- 19 1920 Application filed September 6, 1919. Serial No. 322,008.

prevent damage to the car structures proper and to retain the cars a predetermined distance apart to prevent the connectlon from being disturbcdf In some of these foreign I countries the railway companies are changing over from the hook and chain connection between cars to a connectionmade by automatic couplers.- It will be appreciated that all of the cars cannot be equipped with automatic couplers at the same time, but nevertheless, the cars which are equipped with automatic couplers and those which are not so equipped must be connected in the same train. In other words, there is a transitional period in which adjacent cars may be connected by the old hook and chain arrangement, or by an automatic coupler on one car and a hook on an adjacent car connected by a chain. During this transitional period obviously, it is necessary to have buffers on the cars.

Accordingly one object of my invention is to provide a transitional coupling arrangement whereby railway cars may be connected either by a coupler on one car and a hook on another connected to the coupler by a chain, or by two couplers connected by a link.

Another object is to provide a transitional coupling. arrangement adapted to meet all the requirements for successful commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of two railwaycars connected to each other by an automatic coupler, a hook and a chain connection between the coupler and the hook;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of two cars connected with automatic couplers connected to each other by a link, the link being in tension; and,

Fig. 3 is a similar view to that shown in Fig. 2 with the exception that the cooperating buffers of theadjacent cars are in engagement with each other.

The various novel features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that I have shown two railway cars 10 and 11 which are provided with various coupling mechanisms which must be used during the transitional period referred to- Heretofore the railway cars have been connected to each other by means of books 12, one of which is shown on car 10 in Fig. 1, the hooks on adjacent cars being connected by any suitable flexible connection such as a chain 13. Such carsnecessarily are equipped with buffers 14 preferably mounted on the end sills of the car, which buffers cooperate to maintain the cars at a predetermined minimum distance apart.

In Fig. 1 the car 11 is shown equipped with an automatic coupler 15, the knuckle 16 of which is horizontally slotted to receive a casting 17, the latter being rigidly connected to the former by a pin 18. This casting 17 has its free end terminatingat a point adjacent the guard arm 19 whereby it is impossible for the associated link connected thereto to become disengaged. The longer link of the two, which is connected to the shorter link, is connected to the hook 12. It is seen, therefore, how the cars may be connected to each other when one of the cars is equipped with the old time hook and the other car is equipped with an automatic coupler.- Of course it is appreciated that the finger or casting 17 is a separate piece which will not be used when two automatic couplers are connected directly to each other. The buffers 14 shown in Fig. 1 perform their usual function.

In Fig. 2 the cars are shown equipped with the automatic couplers 15, the knuckles 16 of which are provided with the fingers or castings hereinabove described. It would be impossible to connect these two couplers directly to each other by a knuckle engagement with the buffers 14 in the position shown in said figure. Accordingly the coupiers are connected by means of the larger link 13, forming a part of the chain 13. The same arrangement is shown in Fig. 3 with the exception that the buffers 14L are in engagement with each other to prevent further movement of the cars toward each other.

By means of this arrangement cars may be connected to each other whether they are equipped with the old hook arrangement or with automatic couplers or one with one and one with the other,regardless of the position or action of the buffers.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a plurality of railway cars the adjacent ends of which are pro vided with cooperating buffers, an automatic coupler connected to one end of one vof said cars and having a member extending between the knuckle and guard arm, and means including a member hooking around said other member whereby said coupler may be connected by a link to a hook or automatic coupler on said other car regardless of the position 01 said buffers.

2. In transitional coupler mechanism, a coupler having a knuckle and guard arm, and means closing the opening between said knuckle and guard arm for receiving and maintaining a coupling connection.

3. In transitional coupler mechanism, a coupler having a knuckle and guard arm, and means projecting from one member toward the other member for receiving a coupling connection and cooperating with said other member for maintaining the connec tion in functioning position.

4. In transitional coupler mechanism, a coupler having a knuckle and a finger connected to said knuckle which extends to a point adjacent the guard arm for receiving and retaining a connecting link.

In transitional coupler mechanism, a coupler having a knuckle with a slot and an opening at right angles thereto, a finger mounted in sald slot having an openlng and extending to a point adjacent the guard arm and received in the coupling connection for maintaining the latter, and means for connecting said knuckle and finger by a pin passing through thevopenings therein.

Signed at A'lliance,Ohio, this 27th day of August, 1919. V

EDMUND P. KINNE. 

